Fletcher, Queensland

Fletcher Queensland
Fletcher
Coordinates	28°46′07″S151°52′11″E / 28.7686°S 151.8697°E / -28.7686; 151.8697 (Fletcher (centre of locality))
Population	92 (2016 census) [1]
• Density	2.902/km2 (7.52/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4381
Elevation	779 m (2,556 ft)
Area	31.7 km2 (12.2 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	15.8 km (10 mi) SW of Stanthorpe 76.5 km (48 mi) SSW of Warwick 42 km (26 mi) NW of Tenterfield 159 km (99 mi) S of Toowoomba 233 km (145 mi) SW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Southern Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Southern Downs
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Suburbs around Fletcher: Glen Aplin Glen Aplin Glen Aplin Somme Fletcher Mount Tully Somme Ballandean Eukey

Fletcher is a rural locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2016 census, Fletcher had a population of 92 people. ^[1]

Geography

The Severn River forms the western boundary of the locality. The terrain is somewhat mountainous with the land in the valleys between being used for farming. A small area in the east of the locality is part of the Girraween National Park. Apart from that the predominant land use is grazing on native vegetation and crop growing. ^[3]

The New England Highway and South Western railway line pass from north (Glen Aplin) to south (Ballandean) through the locality. ^[3]

History

Britannia Hotel, Ballandean, established by Thomas Henry Fletcher, circa 1872

In 1872 Thomas Henry Fletcher established the Britannia Hotel in present-day Ballandean. ^{[4] [5]} He planted a small orchard beside his hotel. ^[6] While he was successful at fruit growing, ^[7] most of the interest in the district was in mining. ^[8]

The locality of Fletcher is presume to be named after the Fletcher railway station ( 28°45′58″S151°50′51″E / 28.7660°S 151.8475°E / -28.7660; 151.8475 (Fletcher railway station) ), which was named by the Queensland Railways Department in 1887, after orchardist Thomas Henry Fletcher, who pioneered the growing of fruit in the Granite Belt area. ^{[9] [10]}

In the 2016 census, Fletcher had a population of 92 people. ^[1]

Education

There are no schools in the locality. The nearest primary schools are Glen Aplin State School in neighbouring Glen Aplin to the north and Ballandean State School in neighbouring Ballandean to the south. The nearest secondary school is Stanthorpe State High School in Stanthorpe to the north-west. ^[3]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Fletcher (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
2. "Fletcher – locality in Southern Downs Region (entry 50287)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 19 September 2020.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 29 October 2020.
4. "Advertising". Warwick Examiner And Times . Vol. VI, no. 291. Queensland, Australia. 5 October 1872. p. 4. Retrieved 29 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
5. "STANTHORPE". The Queenslander . Vol. VII, no. 349. Queensland, Australia. 12 October 1872. p. 10. Retrieved 29 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
6. "Our Illustrations". The Queenslander . Queensland, Australia. 27 February 1892. p. 394. Retrieved 29 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
7. "Last Night's Telegrams". Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser . No. 3109. Queensland, Australia. 10 December 1883. p. 2. Retrieved 29 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
8. ARCHAEO Cultural Heritage Services (November 2007). "Historical Cultural Heritage Survey of the proposed Emu Swamp Dam Project" (PDF). Queensland Government. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
9. "Fletcher – Railway station in the Southern Downs Region (entry 12756)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 24 November 2018.
10. "JUBILEE OF STANTHORPE". The Telegraph . No. 15, 346. Queensland, Australia. 2 February 1922. p. 3 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved 29 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.